Access

Review

Nature Reviews Drug Discovery 7, 575–590 (1 July 2008) | doi:10.1038/nrd2605

Purinergic signalling and disorders of the central nervous system

Geoffrey Burnstock

Purines have key roles in neurotransmission and neuromodulation, with their effects being mediated by the purine and pyrimidine receptor subfamilies, P1, P2X and P2Y. Recently, purinergic mechanisms and specific receptor subtypes have been shown to be involved in various pathological conditions including brain trauma and ischaemia, neurodegenerative diseases involving neuroimmune and neuroinflammatory reactions, as well as in neuropsychiatric diseases, including depression and schizophrenia. This article reviews the role of purinergic signalling in CNS disorders, highlighting specific purinergic receptor subtypes, most notably A2A, P2X4 and P2X7, that might be therapeutically targeted for the treatment of these conditions.